The objective of this work is to develop an automation system for quality control （QC） in the production of Iodine-125 sealed sources, after undergoing the process of laser beam welding （LBW）. These sources, also ...The objective of this work is to develop an automation system for quality control （QC） in the production of Iodine-125 sealed sources, after undergoing the process of laser beam welding （LBW）. These sources, also known as Iodine-125 seeds are used, successfully, in the treatment of cancer by brachytherapy, with low-dose rates. Each small seed is composed of a welded titanium capsule with 0.8 mm diameter and 4.5 mm in length, containing Iodine-125 adsorbed on an internal silver wire. The seeds are implanted in the human prostate to irradiate the tumor and treat the cancerous cells. The technology to automate the quality control system in the manufacture of lodine-125 seeds consists in developing and associate mechanical parts, electronic components and pneumatic circuits to control machines and processes. The automation technology for Iodine-125 seed production developed in this work employs programmable logic controller （PLC）, step motors, drivers of control, electrical-electronic interfaces, photoelectric sensors, interfaces of communication and software development. Industrial automation plays an important role in the production of Iodine-125 seeds, with higher productivity and high standard of quality, facilitating the implementation and operation of processes with good manufacturing practices （GMP）. Nowadays, the Radiation Technology Centre at IPEN-CNEN/SP imports and distributes 36,000 lodine-125 seeds per year for clinics and hospitals in the whole country. However, the Brazilian potential market is of 8,000 lodine-125 seeds per month. Therefore, the local production of these radioactive seeds has become a priority for the Institute, aiming to reduce the price and increase the supply to the population in Brazil.展开更多
Dynamitron DC1500/25/04 type EBA （Electron beam accelerator）, model JOB 188, was manufactured by IBA Industrial （Radiation Dynamics, Inc.） and installed at IPEN-CNEN/SP, in 1978. The technical specifications of th...Dynamitron DC1500/25/04 type EBA （Electron beam accelerator）, model JOB 188, was manufactured by IBA Industrial （Radiation Dynamics, Inc.） and installed at IPEN-CNEN/SP, in 1978. The technical specifications of the EBA are： energy 0.5 to 1.5 MeV; beam current： 0.3 to 25.0 mA; beam scanning： 60 to 120 cm; beam width： 25.4 mm and frequency： 100 Hz. Nowadays, this accelerator has been used for innumerable applications, such as： For sterilization of medical, pharmaceutical and biological products, treatment of industrial and domestic effluents and sludge, preservation and disinfestations of foods and agricultural products. Other important application are lignocellulosic material irradiation as a pre-treatment to produce ethanol bio-fuel, decontamination of pesticide packing, solid residues remediation, organic compounds removal from wastewater, treatment of effluent from petroleum production units, crosslinking of foams, wires and electric cables. Electron accelerator JOB 188 is, also, very important composite and nanocomposite materials and carbon fibers irradiation, irradiated grafting ion-exchange membranes for fuel cells application, natural polymers and multilayer packages irradiation and biodegradable blends production. The energy of the electron beam is calculated as a function of the current in the accelerator high-voltage divisor, taking into account the thickness and density of the material to be irradiated. This energy is calculated considering the electron through the entire material and the distance from the titanium foil window, so that the absorbed doses at the points of entrance and exit are equivalent on the material. The dose is directly proportional to the beam current and the exposure time of the material under the electron beam and inversely proportional to the scan width. The aim of this paper is to analyze the power system parameters of the EBA Dynamitron DC 1500/25/04, such as, voltage and RMS （Root-mean-square） current in the oscillator system, high voltage generator and waveform. For this purpose software developed in the Radiation Technology Center at IPEN/CNEN-SP to simulate the energy efficiency of this industrial accelerator. Finally, it is also targeted to compare theoretical dosimetry using parameters of energy and beam current with data from the accelerator power system. This knowledge and technology will be very useful and essential for the control system upgrade of EBA, mainly Dynamitron DC 1500/25/04 taking into consideration that radiation processing technology for industrial and environmental applications has been developed and used worldwide.展开更多
The development of measurement geometry for medical X-ray computed tomography （CT） scanners was carried out from the first to the fourth-generation. This concept has also been applied for imaging of industrial proce...The development of measurement geometry for medical X-ray computed tomography （CT） scanners was carried out from the first to the fourth-generation. This concept has also been applied for imaging of industrial processes such as pipe flows or for improving design, operation, optimization and troubleshooting. Nowadays, gamma CT permits to visualize failure equipment points in three-dimensional analysis and in sections of chemical and petrochemical industries. The aim of this work is the development of the mechanical system on a third-generation industrial CT scanner to analyze laboratorial process columns which perform highly efficient separation, turning the ^6oCo, ^75Se, ^137Cs and/or ^192Ir sealed gamma-ray source（s） and the NaI（Tl） multidetector array. It also has a translation movement along the column axis to obtain as many slices of the process flow as needed. The mechanical assembly for this third-generation industrial CT scanner is comprised by strength and rigidity structural frame in stainless and carbon steels, rotating table, source shield and collimator with pneumatic exposure system, spur gear system, translator, rotary stage, drives and stepper motors. The use of suitable spur gears has given a good repeatability and high accuracy in the degree of veracity. The data acquisition boards, mechanical control interfaces, software for movement control and image reconstruction were specially development. A multiphase phantom capable to be setting with solid, liquid and gas was testing. The scanner was setting for 90 views and 19 projections for each detector totalizing 11,970 projections. Experiments to determine the linear attenuation coefficients of the phantom were carried out which applied the Lambert-Beer principle. Results showed that it was possible to distinguish between the phases even the polymethylmethacrylate and the water have very similar density and linear attenuation coefficients. It was established that the newly developed third-generation fan-beam arrangement gamma scanner unit has a good spatial resolution acceptable given the size of the used phantom in this study. The tomografic reconstruction algorithm in used 60 ~ 60 pixels images was the Alternative Minimization （AM） technique and was implemented in MATLAB and VB platforms. The mechanical system presented a good performance in terms of strength, rigidity, accuracy and repeatability with great potential to be used for education or program which dedicated to training chemical and petrochemical industry professionals and for industrial process optimization in Brazil.展开更多
A catalyst is a substance that alters the rate of a reaction. The process of catalysis is essential to the modem day manufacturing industry, mainly in FCC （Fluid Catalytic Cracking） process units. However, long-term...A catalyst is a substance that alters the rate of a reaction. The process of catalysis is essential to the modem day manufacturing industry, mainly in FCC （Fluid Catalytic Cracking） process units. However, long-term exploitation of oil and gas processing catalysts leads to formation of carbon- and sulfur-containing structures of coke and dense products on the catalyst surface. They block reactive catalyst sites and reduce the catalytic activity. The main advantage of radiation processing by EB （electron beam） and gamma rays is chain cracking reaction in crude oil. Otherwise, under exposure to ionize radiation, considerable structure modification of equilibrium silica-alumina catalyst from FCC process may occur, in addition to the removal of impurities. The conditions applied in the irradiation range （20-150 kGy） of gamma rays and EB were not sufficient to alter the structure of the catalyst, whether for removal of the contaminant nickel, a major contaminant of the FCC catalyst, either to rupture of the crystalline structure either for the future reutilization of chemical elements. ATR-FTIR （Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and EDXRFS （Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry） analysis were used to characterize and evaluate effects of radiation processing on equilibrium catalysts purification. To evaluate and comprehend the reactive catalyst sites, SEM （Scanning Electron Microscopy） and particle size distribution analyses were carried out.展开更多
Strategic planning is one of the most important management tools for organizational decision making. The nuclear area represents a segment of energy production used by many countries in America, Europe and Asia. It is...Strategic planning is one of the most important management tools for organizational decision making. The nuclear area represents a segment of energy production used by many countries in America, Europe and Asia. It is known that in the future nuclear energy can be a major exit to the global energy crisis. The aim of this research was to use the BSC （Balanced Scorecard） as a strategic tool for decision making in a teaching and research institution of the nuclear area--IPEN （Nuclear and Energy Research Institute）, located in the city of Sao Paulo, which belongs to the CNEN （National Nuclear Energy Commission） in Brazil. The methodology used in this academic doctoral study was a case study, which considered the period of research from December 2012 to December 2015. The main results expected from this case study are： the improvement of information flow, the view, the increased visibility of an organization providing education and especially research in relation to published works, increased interaction among IPEN and the main global research institutes and centers, increasing academic production of technical articles, indicator improvement, improving the monitoring of management actions, among others. Given the expected results one can conclude that this study will be of great value to the IPEN and also for the Brazilian energy sector, as it will allow and contribute to the dissemination and demystification of nuclear power as an energy source of mankind, its peaceful applications and for the management activity of knowledge and innovation production in the nuclear area of IPEN.展开更多
Gamma scanning is one of the most common nuclear techniques on troubleshooting industrial equipments like distillation columns and reactors. With a very simple concept, the technique is easy to implement. Searching fo...Gamma scanning is one of the most common nuclear techniques on troubleshooting industrial equipments like distillation columns and reactors. With a very simple concept, the technique is easy to implement. Searching for a competitive edge the industry has been long developing solutions to achieve better results. On the last decades, significant development has been done with the advent of new equipments, electronics, portable computers and software. Continuous scanning and wireless detection systems are examples of successful field solutions, while new software aid on reporting and data presentation. However the type and quality of the results itself has not dramatically changed since its beginning. A scan profile is simple to understand, although the process to build it can be very complex as it requires a specific blend of knowledge and abilities. Process engineering, chemical engineering, internal hydraulic project, nuclear engineering and field abilities are pre requisites for of any scan specialist. Correct data gathering, interpretation and reporting are abilities often difficult to match or requires a long time of training. The industry faces a similar difficult on the customer side, as it is always necessary to train end users to understand a report and how to use its best. This paper describes our effort on developing a new approach on the gamma scan test using image reconstruction techniques that would result on a graphic image rather than a XY plot. Direct and easier to understand, a report with graphic images would be also be accessible to a wider audience, not limited to the customers experienced with gamma scan interpretation.展开更多
Due to the availability and particular features, wood was one of the first materials used by mankind with a wide variety of applications. It can be used as raw-material for paper and cellulose manufacturing; in indust...Due to the availability and particular features, wood was one of the first materials used by mankind with a wide variety of applications. It can be used as raw-material for paper and cellulose manufacturing; in industries such as chemical, naval, furniture, sports goods, toys, and musical instruments; in building construction and in the distribution of electric energy. Wood has been widely researched; therefore, wood researchers know that several aspects such as temperature, latitude, longitude, altitude, sunlight, soil, and rainfall index interfere as to the growth of trees. This behavior explains why the average of physical chemical properties is important in wood study.Most of the researchers consider density to be the most important wood property because of its straight relationship with the physical and mechanical properties in wood. There are three types of wood density： basic, apparent and green. The apparent density was used here at 12% of moisture content. In this study, four different types of wood were used： ＂Freijo＂, ＂Jequitiba＂, ＂Muiracatiara＂ and ＂Ipe＂. For wood density determination by non-conventional method, ^241Am, ^133Ba and ^137Cs gamma-ray sources, a NaI scintillation detector and a counter were used. The results demonstrated that this technique is quick and accurate. Considering the nuclear parameters obtained as half-value layers and linear absorption coefficients,^ 137Cs demonstrated to be the best option to be used for inspection of the physical integrity of electric wooden poles and live trees for future works.展开更多
Control valves are widely used in industry to control fluid flow in several applications. In nuclear power systems they are crucial for the safe operation of plants. Therefore, the necessity of improvements in monitor...Control valves are widely used in industry to control fluid flow in several applications. In nuclear power systems they are crucial for the safe operation of plants. Therefore, the necessity of improvements in monitoring and diagnosis methods started to be of extreme relevance, establishing as main goal of the reliability and readiness of the system components. The main focus of this work is to study the development of a model of non-intrusive monitoring and diagnosis applied to process control valves using artificial intelligence by fuzzy logic technique, contributing to the development of predictive methodologies identifying faults in incipient state. Specially in nuclear power plants, the predictive maintenance contributes to the security factor in order to diagnose in advance the occurrence of a possible failure, preventing severs situations. The control valve analyzed belongs to a steam plant which simulates the secondary circuit of a PWR—Pressurized Water Reactor. The maintenance programs are being implemented based on the ability to diagnose modes of degradation and to take measures to prevent incipient failures, improving plant reliability and reducing maintenance costs. The approach described in this paper represents an alternative departure from the conventional qualitative techniques of system analysis. The methodology used in this project is based on signatures analysis, considering the pressure (psi) in the actuator and the stem displacement (mm) of the valve. Once the measurements baseline of the control valve is taken, it is possible to detect long-term deviations during valve lifetime, detecting in advance valve failures. This study makes use of MATLAB language through the “fuzzy logic toolbox” which uses the method of inference “Mamdani”, acting by fuzzy conjunction, through Triangular Norms (t-norm) and Triangular Conorms (t-conorm). The main goal is to obtain more detailed information contained in the measured data, correlating them to failure situations in the incipient stage.展开更多
文摘The objective of this work is to develop an automation system for quality control （QC） in the production of Iodine-125 sealed sources, after undergoing the process of laser beam welding （LBW）. These sources, also known as Iodine-125 seeds are used, successfully, in the treatment of cancer by brachytherapy, with low-dose rates. Each small seed is composed of a welded titanium capsule with 0.8 mm diameter and 4.5 mm in length, containing Iodine-125 adsorbed on an internal silver wire. The seeds are implanted in the human prostate to irradiate the tumor and treat the cancerous cells. The technology to automate the quality control system in the manufacture of lodine-125 seeds consists in developing and associate mechanical parts, electronic components and pneumatic circuits to control machines and processes. The automation technology for Iodine-125 seed production developed in this work employs programmable logic controller （PLC）, step motors, drivers of control, electrical-electronic interfaces, photoelectric sensors, interfaces of communication and software development. Industrial automation plays an important role in the production of Iodine-125 seeds, with higher productivity and high standard of quality, facilitating the implementation and operation of processes with good manufacturing practices （GMP）. Nowadays, the Radiation Technology Centre at IPEN-CNEN/SP imports and distributes 36,000 lodine-125 seeds per year for clinics and hospitals in the whole country. However, the Brazilian potential market is of 8,000 lodine-125 seeds per month. Therefore, the local production of these radioactive seeds has become a priority for the Institute, aiming to reduce the price and increase the supply to the population in Brazil.
文摘Dynamitron DC1500/25/04 type EBA （Electron beam accelerator）, model JOB 188, was manufactured by IBA Industrial （Radiation Dynamics, Inc.） and installed at IPEN-CNEN/SP, in 1978. The technical specifications of the EBA are： energy 0.5 to 1.5 MeV; beam current： 0.3 to 25.0 mA; beam scanning： 60 to 120 cm; beam width： 25.4 mm and frequency： 100 Hz. Nowadays, this accelerator has been used for innumerable applications, such as： For sterilization of medical, pharmaceutical and biological products, treatment of industrial and domestic effluents and sludge, preservation and disinfestations of foods and agricultural products. Other important application are lignocellulosic material irradiation as a pre-treatment to produce ethanol bio-fuel, decontamination of pesticide packing, solid residues remediation, organic compounds removal from wastewater, treatment of effluent from petroleum production units, crosslinking of foams, wires and electric cables. Electron accelerator JOB 188 is, also, very important composite and nanocomposite materials and carbon fibers irradiation, irradiated grafting ion-exchange membranes for fuel cells application, natural polymers and multilayer packages irradiation and biodegradable blends production. The energy of the electron beam is calculated as a function of the current in the accelerator high-voltage divisor, taking into account the thickness and density of the material to be irradiated. This energy is calculated considering the electron through the entire material and the distance from the titanium foil window, so that the absorbed doses at the points of entrance and exit are equivalent on the material. The dose is directly proportional to the beam current and the exposure time of the material under the electron beam and inversely proportional to the scan width. The aim of this paper is to analyze the power system parameters of the EBA Dynamitron DC 1500/25/04, such as, voltage and RMS （Root-mean-square） current in the oscillator system, high voltage generator and waveform. For this purpose software developed in the Radiation Technology Center at IPEN/CNEN-SP to simulate the energy efficiency of this industrial accelerator. Finally, it is also targeted to compare theoretical dosimetry using parameters of energy and beam current with data from the accelerator power system. This knowledge and technology will be very useful and essential for the control system upgrade of EBA, mainly Dynamitron DC 1500/25/04 taking into consideration that radiation processing technology for industrial and environmental applications has been developed and used worldwide.
文摘The development of measurement geometry for medical X-ray computed tomography （CT） scanners was carried out from the first to the fourth-generation. This concept has also been applied for imaging of industrial processes such as pipe flows or for improving design, operation, optimization and troubleshooting. Nowadays, gamma CT permits to visualize failure equipment points in three-dimensional analysis and in sections of chemical and petrochemical industries. The aim of this work is the development of the mechanical system on a third-generation industrial CT scanner to analyze laboratorial process columns which perform highly efficient separation, turning the ^6oCo, ^75Se, ^137Cs and/or ^192Ir sealed gamma-ray source（s） and the NaI（Tl） multidetector array. It also has a translation movement along the column axis to obtain as many slices of the process flow as needed. The mechanical assembly for this third-generation industrial CT scanner is comprised by strength and rigidity structural frame in stainless and carbon steels, rotating table, source shield and collimator with pneumatic exposure system, spur gear system, translator, rotary stage, drives and stepper motors. The use of suitable spur gears has given a good repeatability and high accuracy in the degree of veracity. The data acquisition boards, mechanical control interfaces, software for movement control and image reconstruction were specially development. A multiphase phantom capable to be setting with solid, liquid and gas was testing. The scanner was setting for 90 views and 19 projections for each detector totalizing 11,970 projections. Experiments to determine the linear attenuation coefficients of the phantom were carried out which applied the Lambert-Beer principle. Results showed that it was possible to distinguish between the phases even the polymethylmethacrylate and the water have very similar density and linear attenuation coefficients. It was established that the newly developed third-generation fan-beam arrangement gamma scanner unit has a good spatial resolution acceptable given the size of the used phantom in this study. The tomografic reconstruction algorithm in used 60 ~ 60 pixels images was the Alternative Minimization （AM） technique and was implemented in MATLAB and VB platforms. The mechanical system presented a good performance in terms of strength, rigidity, accuracy and repeatability with great potential to be used for education or program which dedicated to training chemical and petrochemical industry professionals and for industrial process optimization in Brazil.
文摘A catalyst is a substance that alters the rate of a reaction. The process of catalysis is essential to the modem day manufacturing industry, mainly in FCC （Fluid Catalytic Cracking） process units. However, long-term exploitation of oil and gas processing catalysts leads to formation of carbon- and sulfur-containing structures of coke and dense products on the catalyst surface. They block reactive catalyst sites and reduce the catalytic activity. The main advantage of radiation processing by EB （electron beam） and gamma rays is chain cracking reaction in crude oil. Otherwise, under exposure to ionize radiation, considerable structure modification of equilibrium silica-alumina catalyst from FCC process may occur, in addition to the removal of impurities. The conditions applied in the irradiation range （20-150 kGy） of gamma rays and EB were not sufficient to alter the structure of the catalyst, whether for removal of the contaminant nickel, a major contaminant of the FCC catalyst, either to rupture of the crystalline structure either for the future reutilization of chemical elements. ATR-FTIR （Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and EDXRFS （Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry） analysis were used to characterize and evaluate effects of radiation processing on equilibrium catalysts purification. To evaluate and comprehend the reactive catalyst sites, SEM （Scanning Electron Microscopy） and particle size distribution analyses were carried out.
文摘Strategic planning is one of the most important management tools for organizational decision making. The nuclear area represents a segment of energy production used by many countries in America, Europe and Asia. It is known that in the future nuclear energy can be a major exit to the global energy crisis. The aim of this research was to use the BSC （Balanced Scorecard） as a strategic tool for decision making in a teaching and research institution of the nuclear area--IPEN （Nuclear and Energy Research Institute）, located in the city of Sao Paulo, which belongs to the CNEN （National Nuclear Energy Commission） in Brazil. The methodology used in this academic doctoral study was a case study, which considered the period of research from December 2012 to December 2015. The main results expected from this case study are： the improvement of information flow, the view, the increased visibility of an organization providing education and especially research in relation to published works, increased interaction among IPEN and the main global research institutes and centers, increasing academic production of technical articles, indicator improvement, improving the monitoring of management actions, among others. Given the expected results one can conclude that this study will be of great value to the IPEN and also for the Brazilian energy sector, as it will allow and contribute to the dissemination and demystification of nuclear power as an energy source of mankind, its peaceful applications and for the management activity of knowledge and innovation production in the nuclear area of IPEN.
文摘Gamma scanning is one of the most common nuclear techniques on troubleshooting industrial equipments like distillation columns and reactors. With a very simple concept, the technique is easy to implement. Searching for a competitive edge the industry has been long developing solutions to achieve better results. On the last decades, significant development has been done with the advent of new equipments, electronics, portable computers and software. Continuous scanning and wireless detection systems are examples of successful field solutions, while new software aid on reporting and data presentation. However the type and quality of the results itself has not dramatically changed since its beginning. A scan profile is simple to understand, although the process to build it can be very complex as it requires a specific blend of knowledge and abilities. Process engineering, chemical engineering, internal hydraulic project, nuclear engineering and field abilities are pre requisites for of any scan specialist. Correct data gathering, interpretation and reporting are abilities often difficult to match or requires a long time of training. The industry faces a similar difficult on the customer side, as it is always necessary to train end users to understand a report and how to use its best. This paper describes our effort on developing a new approach on the gamma scan test using image reconstruction techniques that would result on a graphic image rather than a XY plot. Direct and easier to understand, a report with graphic images would be also be accessible to a wider audience, not limited to the customers experienced with gamma scan interpretation.
文摘Due to the availability and particular features, wood was one of the first materials used by mankind with a wide variety of applications. It can be used as raw-material for paper and cellulose manufacturing; in industries such as chemical, naval, furniture, sports goods, toys, and musical instruments; in building construction and in the distribution of electric energy. Wood has been widely researched; therefore, wood researchers know that several aspects such as temperature, latitude, longitude, altitude, sunlight, soil, and rainfall index interfere as to the growth of trees. This behavior explains why the average of physical chemical properties is important in wood study.Most of the researchers consider density to be the most important wood property because of its straight relationship with the physical and mechanical properties in wood. There are three types of wood density： basic, apparent and green. The apparent density was used here at 12% of moisture content. In this study, four different types of wood were used： ＂Freijo＂, ＂Jequitiba＂, ＂Muiracatiara＂ and ＂Ipe＂. For wood density determination by non-conventional method, ^241Am, ^133Ba and ^137Cs gamma-ray sources, a NaI scintillation detector and a counter were used. The results demonstrated that this technique is quick and accurate. Considering the nuclear parameters obtained as half-value layers and linear absorption coefficients,^ 137Cs demonstrated to be the best option to be used for inspection of the physical integrity of electric wooden poles and live trees for future works.
文摘Control valves are widely used in industry to control fluid flow in several applications. In nuclear power systems they are crucial for the safe operation of plants. Therefore, the necessity of improvements in monitoring and diagnosis methods started to be of extreme relevance, establishing as main goal of the reliability and readiness of the system components. The main focus of this work is to study the development of a model of non-intrusive monitoring and diagnosis applied to process control valves using artificial intelligence by fuzzy logic technique, contributing to the development of predictive methodologies identifying faults in incipient state. Specially in nuclear power plants, the predictive maintenance contributes to the security factor in order to diagnose in advance the occurrence of a possible failure, preventing severs situations. The control valve analyzed belongs to a steam plant which simulates the secondary circuit of a PWR—Pressurized Water Reactor. The maintenance programs are being implemented based on the ability to diagnose modes of degradation and to take measures to prevent incipient failures, improving plant reliability and reducing maintenance costs. The approach described in this paper represents an alternative departure from the conventional qualitative techniques of system analysis. The methodology used in this project is based on signatures analysis, considering the pressure (psi) in the actuator and the stem displacement (mm) of the valve. Once the measurements baseline of the control valve is taken, it is possible to detect long-term deviations during valve lifetime, detecting in advance valve failures. This study makes use of MATLAB language through the “fuzzy logic toolbox” which uses the method of inference “Mamdani”, acting by fuzzy conjunction, through Triangular Norms (t-norm) and Triangular Conorms (t-conorm). The main goal is to obtain more detailed information contained in the measured data, correlating them to failure situations in the incipient stage.
